You're in the finals & your opponent has Derrick Henry.
You drop a player so you can pick up Hassan Haskins to block your opponent.
Thoughts?
You drop a player so you can pick up Hassan Haskins to block your opponent.
Thoughts?
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Blocking Your Opponent - Thoughts? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Joe Bryant
- Start date
Weirdly i just did this exact move
That being said i do it because it's allowed and expected in our leagues...
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Lucky for me ( Henry owner) I picked before my opponent in the Wednesday waiver or I know he would have done the same to me. And I might not even start him.
I’m in this situation playing for 3rd against the #1 seed. I wouldn’t hesitate to do this normally, but this guys team is loaded and we only start 1 RB so relatively easy to switch out. Particularly for him as he had Henry as starting RB with Jacobs and Barkley in flex (
) — so he’ll just slide one of them up and put in a WR or whatever for flex.
) — so he’ll just slide one of them up and put in a WR or whatever for flex.
Lansdowne
Footballguy
It depends on the incentive. If there’s a prize available for non-championship competitors (such as a 3rd place game for the semifinal losing teams, or a consolation bracket), or if it’s a dynasty league, then Haskins is fair game.
If it’s redraft and there’s no prize for anyone other than the championship game, there’s no reason for the other teams to make any roster changes at all and should be locked from transactions to prevent interfering with the championship. Just my opinion.
I think it's ok but in the particular case you mentioned I would not pick up Haskins because I think the matchup is terrible and the Titans aren't playing for anything. I would kind of hope he picks up Haskins and plays him as a poison pill because with Willis under center and the Dallas Defense I don't expect him to do anything on a Thursday game which is usually ugly anyway.
I put "probably ok" because there are situation where it wouldn't be ok. For example, a team not playing for the title or money or draft pick that just picks him up because he is playing out the string for nothing. Another example would be roster churn where they are picking up and dropping many players to block all players from being picked up. In those cases it would not be ok.
But for the other title contender to see the situation and pick up that player to keep them away from his opponent it is just fine provided it is within the rules already established.
But for the other title contender to see the situation and pick up that player to keep them away from his opponent it is just fine provided it is within the rules already established.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Part of the game. It's on the person who needs Haskins to strike first.
zamboni
Footballguy
Agree 100%. I was thinking more of the latter situation in which it was redraft, winner take all. You’re right though that if there are other prizes involved or it’s a dynasty league, that’s different.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I would answer “it depends” if that were an option. I remember a situation that was uncool. Free agency opened at midnight. One of the teams in the finals had a couple of guys banged up or going to sit that week out.
The way our waivers worked, anyone dropped would get frozen until the following week. At 12:01, the opponent of the team with missing players started adding and dropping every unrostered player that had any chance of doing anything that week.
Technically, that was not against the rules. The league by laws did not limit the number of adds and drops each week (that changed the following season). That owner said rules are rules, and he wasn’t doing anything illegal.
Thankfully that team ended up losing, and that owner was voted out of the league. But that was one bush league way to try to win.
The way our waivers worked, anyone dropped would get frozen until the following week. At 12:01, the opponent of the team with missing players started adding and dropping every unrostered player that had any chance of doing anything that week.
Technically, that was not against the rules. The league by laws did not limit the number of adds and drops each week (that changed the following season). That owner said rules are rules, and he wasn’t doing anything illegal.
Thankfully that team ended up losing, and that owner was voted out of the league. But that was one bush league way to try to win.
Part of the strategy behind the game. Hope those I do it to never take it personal and frankly I'm a little disappointed when others don't undertake the strategy.
I've been doing this the last few weeks in a FFPC league which for those that don't know the format is 4 teams compete in week 15 with top two advancing to play the top two seeds in 4 team total point playoff race for weeks 16-17. And all pickups are blind bid waivers.
In week 15 one of the 4 teams I faced had Kyler Murray and no backup. I blocked him out of Purdy and Zach Wilson. He ended up with Andy Dalton but was able to join me as one of two teams advancing to the final 4.
Last week I blocked him out of Minshew. He was forced to go with Foles.
This week another of the teams in the final 4 lost their only QB, Carr. I also knew the guy probably wanted to upgrade on Foles. So I was able to find 3 open spots and picked up Wentz, Purdy again who I had cut last week and Darnold(screwed up and forgot about Teddy B). The Carr team ended up with Teddy B and the guy I've been a thorn in his side for weeks ended up with McCoy.
Again I hope they both understand it's not personal but I'm personally disappointed with the 4th team in the league who has way more FA money then me and he has done nothing and made me do all the work. If he had his head on straight we could have basically 100% emptied out the QB market and that would have gone a long way to insure we finished 1 and 2.
I've been doing this the last few weeks in a FFPC league which for those that don't know the format is 4 teams compete in week 15 with top two advancing to play the top two seeds in 4 team total point playoff race for weeks 16-17. And all pickups are blind bid waivers.
In week 15 one of the 4 teams I faced had Kyler Murray and no backup. I blocked him out of Purdy and Zach Wilson. He ended up with Andy Dalton but was able to join me as one of two teams advancing to the final 4.
Last week I blocked him out of Minshew. He was forced to go with Foles.
This week another of the teams in the final 4 lost their only QB, Carr. I also knew the guy probably wanted to upgrade on Foles. So I was able to find 3 open spots and picked up Wentz, Purdy again who I had cut last week and Darnold(screwed up and forgot about Teddy B). The Carr team ended up with Teddy B and the guy I've been a thorn in his side for weeks ended up with McCoy.
Again I hope they both understand it's not personal but I'm personally disappointed with the 4th team in the league who has way more FA money then me and he has done nothing and made me do all the work. If he had his head on straight we could have basically 100% emptied out the QB market and that would have gone a long way to insure we finished 1 and 2.
To me this is bordering on not being cool. Picking up one guy for sure fair game. Two guys is pushing it but not terrible but once you start getting up to 3 or 4 guys it is bordering on roster churn and heading into the not cool zone for me.
Only time I've seen anything like that was in a fantasy baseball league (Sandbox.com) and a guy was picking up and dropping "closers" from the waiver wire. Every dropped player stayed on waivers for 24 hours regardless of how long they were on your team.
The only league I've been in since then that had a waiver period was ESPN (fantasy football) and I think the player dropped had to be on a roster for at least 24 hours to transition to waivers once dropped. Otherwise they just became a free agent again.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
My opponent doesn’t have Henry, but I added Haskins regardless to block him.
And he would have done the same to me had I not beaten him to the punch.
Now that said, I’ve also completely hosed myself going for a block in the past. Picked up the top rated DB because my opponent’s was out - and the next best DB they added had 9 tackles and a pick 6. The top rated one they would have taken had 1.5 tackles and sprained his ankle.
Sometimes you can get too cute with the block & it comes back to bite you.
But I see nothing ethically wrong with it. Heck, my RB has an ankle sprain - if he’s a late scratch, I’ll drop Haskins into my flex spot. And even if that weren’t the case, it’s just gamesmanship. Out add/drops cost $4 so if anyone wants to block anyone it’s fair game.
It’s a little but cutthroat, but Haskins was sitting there as a FA. Either of us could have added him. Just so happened that I did.
I don't consider it "churn" if you keep all of those QBs on your roster through the match-up.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
In my league we have 48 hour waivers for dropped players.
And we have explicit rules against “roster churning” - it is cause for expulsion.
Adding a player to block an opponent is fine. Churning waivers to lock up as many as possible is way over the line.
Marauder
Footballguy
I don't think it's a problem as long as you keep all the players on your roster for a week. Picking up players and immediately dropping them is not cool.
Runkle
Footballguy
I'd been holding 5 defenses since week 13 because I'd locked up my playoff spot and didn't want to fight it out on waivers. I'd rather have all the options I wanted already and decide later once I had all the time and info available. Giants, KC, Chargers, Jags are all on my team and I won't be facing any of them this week.
I think that's fair. It cost me other roster depth to make that play.
I also think picking up a player and holding him for a few days is fair while you wait for news on injuries.
Picking up a player your opponent might want/need is fair as long as you hold him.
However, cycling 30 kickers in 10 minutes to lock them all up is obviously unfair and should be illegal. I think if a player is not on your roster 24 hours, if you drop him he should be a free agent and not locked to waivers. I think most platforms do this, if not by default it should be an option to set. And any commissioner worth the job should fix such a situation.
I think that's fair. It cost me other roster depth to make that play.
I also think picking up a player and holding him for a few days is fair while you wait for news on injuries.
Picking up a player your opponent might want/need is fair as long as you hold him.
However, cycling 30 kickers in 10 minutes to lock them all up is obviously unfair and should be illegal. I think if a player is not on your roster 24 hours, if you drop him he should be a free agent and not locked to waivers. I think most platforms do this, if not by default it should be an option to set. And any commissioner worth the job should fix such a situation.
Judge Smails
Footballguy
It’s unethical as a ff player to NOT do this.
Yup, if they get tied up in a waiver period totally not cool. In my league, any player dropped becomes an immediate free agent (after Wednesday's waiver process), so churning the wire isn't really a thing. On the other hand, it makes you monitor the league 24-7 through the season which can be a bit cumbersome.
Judge Smails
Footballguy
We only have FAAB and and all players must be kept for a week. So no immediate add/drop shenanigans possible
I agree but picking up 3 QB's when you don't need them is a bit much. Taking the top one or two is fine but once you start getting to 3 or 4 I think it crosses the line. Just my opinion.
I'm ok labeling it churning and will probably cut 2-3 of those QB's when waivers run Sunday morning since the season is over and I want to pick up a few prospects in case I end up wanting to hold them.
I see zero issue it and can say with 100% certainty I would not only have no issue if teams did the same thing to me but I would respect it. I know because someone tried this on me before and I just thought to myself it was well played.
Churning is only an issue IMO when you are talking about FCFS type of waivers and some a-hole is just picking and dropping up players. This is blind bid waivers that run twice a week on a short 20 man dynasty roster. In other words I can't just willy nilly sit around adding and dropping at my will and emptying out the market. That's something else entirely to me.
Then the league should have a rule on how many QBs you can roster at once.
What's the point of a half *** done strategy?
That is a different issue. If you want to carry 5 QB's all year I have no problem with it. You are sacrificing your depth at other positions as a strategy to hoard QB's. That is different than waiting until championship week and pickup up 3 or 4 extra QB's for that one week to keep them from the other guy. Take your shot and pick up one or two.....gamesmanship. 3 or 4 or 5 is too much for my taste for a one week block.
I get where you are coming from and totally understand it. I just don't think it is the right thing to do. Take your chance and try and block who you think is the best or top 2 guys but don't completely hoard all of them. It's just my sportsmanship way of seeing things. I see both sides and understand your question about the arbitrary line.
So… where is there other team in all of this? Isn’t some of the onus on the team with QB issues to get off of their *** and grab some help?
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
Let me tell you a little story about a boy who had a great FF team. One of the greatest he’d ever had.
That team was led by Donovan McNabb, with Jake Delhomme as a backup.
Stars littered the roster - LT2, Owens, TGonz, Portis, etc.
That team was 8-0. The boy woke up late one Sunday morning, having been out at a bachelor party getting trashed the night before. A quick score check before heading to a hangover brunch, and all was right in the world. McNabb had 35+ already, business as usual.
Get to the brunch & the 3 dudes in that boy’s FF league all looked at the boy sadly. They told the boy that Mcabb had broken his fibula that day. “But the stats!” - incredibly, he’d played through it.
That’s awful, thought the boy - but at least I have Delhomme to carry me through. And in the afternoon game, right before his eyes, Delhomme got knocked out with a concussion. And in those days, one had to be suuuuuuper concussed to be removed from a game, so the boy knew this wasn’t good.
The following waiver run, pretty much every competing team with priority added a QB. 6 in total.
The boy was left with nothing, and didn’t win another game.
And yes, I was that boy (I really wanted to go Chevy Chase there). Looking back on that all these years later, it was shrewd gamesmanship by my friends. I still think they’re d-bags for it, but my team was absolutely stacked. I would have claimed a QB there too, had I been in their shoes. Mine was clearly the powerhouse team of the league. It wasn’t collusion - they all just knew I had no QBs & did what anyone would do. Go for the block.
Still stings a little. And yes, we're all still friends. Well, except for one dude who slept with another dude’s wife, but that’s a tale for another day, boys and girls.
Exactly how I see it. In that league I was referencing the team that was riding with just Carr was just poor management. His team is loaded and I consider him a very good dynasty competitor. I had not paid any attention to his team until the playoffs started and even before he lost Carr I thought he was seriously misplayed not scouring for an upgrade and plenty of options existed over the last few weeks.
Of course and if the waivers work the right way the other guy shouldn't get blocked from all choices. He should at least get a top 2 or 3 choice regardless of what the other guy does. If he doesn't than that's his own fault.
Wrigley
Footballguy
I'm trying to win, right?
OrganizedChaos
Footballguy
I am in two championships this week. In both leagues, I have dropped anyone who I am positive I won't be starting nor who I think my opponent would want and in their stead picked up players who I may want to start (few spots are close) or to keep them away from my opponent (mostly kickers and defense). As long as not churning players immediately I see no issue with it.
Time to send in Gillooly with the tire iron
greenmountaingoat
Footballguy
I have no personal objection to the idea of blocking but it's backfired before so try not to get too cute. The guy you pick up stinks, the next guy he's forced to start scores 3 tds etc. That kind of thing.
Of course.
(HULK)
(Smash)
The scenario above is totally okay IMO
Something that would be technically allowed but really not okay would be if my opponent's QB was questionable and he didn't have a backup, picking up every single starting QB and dropping them, to put them all on waivers on GameDay so he couldn't get a starting QB if the player doesn't go. I'm actually in a situation where I can do that, and didn't really consider it as it is just too much of a low class move IMO
Something that would be technically allowed but really not okay would be if my opponent's QB was questionable and he didn't have a backup, picking up every single starting QB and dropping them, to put them all on waivers on GameDay so he couldn't get a starting QB if the player doesn't go. I'm actually in a situation where I can do that, and didn't really consider it as it is just too much of a low class move IMO
heckmanm
Footballguy
Was it Steve on a camping trip?
I think a massive distinction exists that I'm not sure people are properly differentiating between leagues that you can sit and pick up and drop players at your leisure to the point you can wipe out a whole position versus a blind bid waiver system or system where waivers run on a set schedule a few times a week.
I relayed the story about trying to empty out the QB market in a blind bid waivers league which runs Wednesday and Sunday morning. I have one league that after the first waiver run it's FCFS. I would never think it's ok to sit and wipe out a position in that format.
I relayed the story about trying to empty out the QB market in a blind bid waivers league which runs Wednesday and Sunday morning. I have one league that after the first waiver run it's FCFS. I would never think it's ok to sit and wipe out a position in that format.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
It was not either of the Steves.
